THE Foreign Spouses Support Group (FSSG) wants the Malaysian government to remove restrictions on employment of non-citizen spouses residing in the country.

Ahead of tomorrow’s Workers’ Day, it is urging the government to give equal rights to foreign spouses to work, which the group claims will strengthen the country’s economy and protect their families.

“This Labour Day, we would like to call on the government to allow non-citizen spouses the equal right to work by removing the statement of prohibition from employment on their spouse visas,” FSSG said in a statement today.

“We also want the government to extend the protection of labour laws and social protection mechanisms such as mandatory EPF (Employees Provident Fund) and Socso (Social Security Organisation) (contributions), and entitlement to the voluntary separation scheme and severance packages to spouses to ensure greater protection and economic stability for the Malaysian family as a whole.

“Also, the government should allow foreign spouses to open individual bank accounts so that they have greater financial autonomy and freedom.”

Among the restrictions, FSSG said, foreign spouses’ visas have the statement “prohibited from all forms of employment” stamped across their long-term social visit pass, also referred to as a spouse visa.

It said employers are reluctant to hire non-citizen spouses upon seeing this statement, albeit the Department of Immigration states that an endorsement to work can be obtained after having secured an offer from the employer.

“The endorsement to work is also highly restrictive, whereby it is tied to the validity of the visa (which may require frequent renewals), restricted to one state within the country, and non-citizen spouses are unable to acquire professional licences until permanent residence is obtained,” it said.

The group said a survey conducted by Family Frontiers Malaysia found that 75% of non-citizen spouses possess a bachelor’s degree or higher qualifications and yet 49% of them remain unemployed.

“Despite being qualified on the same basis as their Malaysian spouses, their legal status comes in the way of them being employed and achieving economic liberty and autonomy – an essential component of family harmony in every home,” it said.

With more than 200,000 Malaysian binational families living in the country, the group urged that these families be treated with the dignity they deserve.

It said by allowing non-citizen spouses to work without restrictions, the government will strengthen the country’s economy, protect families of Malaysians and reverse the brain drain of professionals.

“This would also improve Malaysia’s international and regional standing by progressing commitments to SDG 8 (Sustainable Development Goal 8) – to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all,” it added. – April 30, 2022.